Stories Behind the Scenes

From: Michael Clemmer 01 JAN 02

I will get to a hidden Mickey location at the end of this story, so you have to
read this. As a child growing up in Florida, I remember visiting the Magic
Kingdom at least once a year. I can remember looking at the Cast members working
for Disney with respect and thinking how lucky they were to be working for the
Mouse. When I moved to Orlando because of another job, I went to work part-time
for Disney in Fantasyland Merch. When I went for the interview at the casting
office, I was more nervous then anything I had ever done before. This was at a
time when Disney was hiring only people with the "Disney look", if you worked
for Disney it said something good about you. Afer I went through Traditions,
and all the other Disney classes, I began working in Tinkerbells treasures. It
was and still is the best job I've ever had. You can't image the joy you can get
from just making people happy and working in the happiest place on earth. While
I was only part time, Disney had College students come from around the world and
work for a semester. No one would like to get to attached to them because they
would end up leaving in a while and no one likes to say good-bye. The second
college program that went through while I was there was different. I meet this
girl on the program, we were hardly friends at first(she thought I was a dork).
Her program came and went, but she stayed. Like me she always loved the Disney
Magic and just enjoyed working there to much to leave. We started talking more
after she stayed, and even went on a couple dates. Well today, we are happily
married and have two wonderful boys. We both enjoy telling the story of how
we meet in Fantasyland. We live far away from Disney know, but both of our
hearts are still it that castle where we first meet. we will go back someday.
Everyone has a story to tell and that was ours. As for the hidden Mickey, in
Tomorrowland in between the Raceway and Cosmic Rays, the lights on top of the
posts, at a certain time of day, the sun makes a shadow from the lights, and on
the ground is a hidden Mickey.

Villans Autograph Area

From: Edie Benson 20 JAN 02

My family and I just got back from Disney after staying at the Polynesian Resort 1-12-02 & 1-13-02. And we had a wonderfully fun experience with "Cruella DeVil". The actress that portrays Cruella did and exceptional job. We had stopped by the Villans Autograph area (which happens to be where 20,000 leagues under the sea used to be). We didn't have to wait in line since it was considered the off season , so my 6yr daughter got and Autograph from "The Queen of Hearts" and she chased her around a bit and acted her part well. Then in comes "Cruella DeVil". So we thought it would be the same a mean face and a photo. Well we got more than we bargined for. I began my daughters Autograph pages by wrtiting each "characters Pic" on the opposite page. Well Cruella noticed this and to my dismay I spelled her name wrong by trying to write to fast. Cruella found it quite necesary to berate me and asked how to spell her name quite hautily. then after the spelling lesson I took her photo.

Small World

From: Mark Scott 20 DEC 98

In 1989, I was in the Magic Kingdom with my brother (Rob), his then wife (Michelle), and her sister (Dawn). As we worked our way through the park we decided to ride It's a Small World. Shortly after we were off of the ride, and walking up the exit ramps, Dawn was holding her arm and saying that she thought it was broken. None of us saw what happened. Apparently, when the ride was ending, the conveyer belt, that had just started to take the boat to the unloading location, stopped so the people on the boat ahead of us could get off. Dawn reached out and grabbed one of the handrail poles that are close to the boat at that time. When the conveyer belt jerked the boat to the unloading location, it somehow broke her arm. The rest of us did not think that it could have possibly been broken, and the first aid department at Disney gave her an ice bag and a splint for her arm. The next day we went to the hospital and had her arm x-rayed. The arm was broken. So, the next time you hear one of those messages that says to "keep your arms and legs inside of the boat at all times", you may want to listen. They are warning you because they know the rides can be dangerous in ways that you can't even imagine.

One pregnant woman, going into labor, insisted she have the baby on the main
stage in front of Cinderella's Castle.

I had to ask a nice group of French women to put their shirts back on. It
was a very hot day, and they were walking around topless.

Two guys stole a ladies purse in the Magic Kingdom - very rare. Their exit
- yes, via the monorail. The monorail got about 100 yards, when it stopped,
and reversed back to the station. Security personnel were waiting.

Cinderella's Castle

Several years ago, I had written Guest Relations concerning the "never
occupied" apartment in Cinderella's Castle, which I wanted to see very
much. Guest relations, gracious as always, explained that the apartment
was now used for storage and security and could not be viewed. I have
always wondered if that is true. In any event, Guest Relations did take
me on a backstage tour, including the infamous tunnel level at the Magic
Kingdom and all because I had the courage to "ask".